WIC Positions Update: We would like to share some information regarding changes in responsibilities for the WIC and Nutrition Services Bureau.

Lisa Brown, Interim Administrator for the Section for WIC and Community Nutrition Services, has accepted this role on a permanent basis. Ms. Brown initially came to DHSS in September, 2011, as Chief of the Bureau of WIC and Nutrition Services and has served as the Interim Section Administrator since February, 2012. Prior to coming to DHSS, she worked as an attorney in the areas of general civil law and child abuse/neglect and was the Executive Director of SERVE, a community social services not-for-profit agency in Fulton.

Effective April 16, 2012, Susan White began serving as Interim Chief of the Bureau of WIC and Nutrition Services. Ms. White comes to WIC from the Bureau of Community Food and Nutrition Assistance Programs where she oversaw the Summer Food Service Program. She also brings with her a wealth of experience as an educator and working within programs to address food insecurity, particularly for children. Please join the WIC state staff in welcoming Ms. White to this new position.

Revised Income Eligibility Guidelines-Important: Attached is the revised Income Eligibility Guidelines (Effective April 1, 2012 to March 31, 2013). MOWINS has been updated accordingly. Please discard the income eligibility guidelines that WIC state office e-mailed on March 27, 2012 and posted in the WIC Updates on April 2, 2012. Please begin using the attached guidelines immediately. The laminated income guidelines sheets will be mailed to all local WIC providers during the week of May 7, 2012. If you have questions, please contact Takako Tagami at Takako.Tagami@health.mo.gov. (ONE ATTACHMENT)

WIC Required Nutrition Education Handouts: The following items were revised and are being printed:

Substance Use - English (#508) - New Look!

Exit Counseling - Spanish (#762) - New Look!

Both of these should be printed in 2 to 3 weeks. We will notify you when they become available at the warehouse. If you have questions, please contact Takako Tagami at Takako.Tagami@health.mo.gov.

Continuing Education Opportunity-CDR Certificate of Training in Weight Management Programs: The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics will be presenting the Certificate of Training Programs in both adult and childhood weight management. The programs are open to RD’s and DTR’s. The Certificate of Training offers cutting edge information and skills shared by leading practitioners in the field, valuable resource materials, and 35 hours continuing professional education for the adult certificate, 32 hours for the childhood certificate. Registration fee for these programs is $370. Expenses for these programs are WIC approvable. For approval, contact your assigned Technical Assistance Nutritionist. The Certificate of Training in Adult Weight Management will be offered May 22-24, 2012 in Burlington, Vermont and again May 31-June 2, 2012 in Savannah, Georgia.Deadline for registration is early May. For more information and registration go to http://www.cdrnet.org/wtmgmt/CertificateOfTraining.cfm. Download the brochure at http://www.cdrnet.org/wtmgmt/Adult%20Brochure.pdf.

If you are unable to attend either of the 2 1/2 day programs, complete the self-study module and receive 13 CPE hours for Childhood and Adolescent Weight Management and 16 hours for Adult Weight Management. Fall programs will be announced by June 1, 2012.

If you have questions, please contact your District TA Nutritionist.

May WIC Invoices: WIC Invoices for May 2012, and prior months, submitted for payment in the month of June must be submitted through the Online WIC Invoicing System by close of business on Friday, June 8, 2012. Invoices submitted after that date will be held and paid in July, 2012. This change in schedule complies with the close of State Fiscal Year 2012 payment processing deadlines. If you have questions please contact Laura Weiler at Laura.Weiler@health.mo.gov or 573-526-7901.

Smoking Cessation Research Study Needs Participants: In the November 30, 2009 and August 29, 2011 WIC Updates, we posted information on the Oregon Center for Applied Science Inc. (ORCAS), which had been funded by the National Cancer Institute to develop and evaluate a smoking cessation and relapse prevention intervention for pregnant and postpartum women. ORCAS is a public health research organization dedicated to improving the lives of children and families. Smoking cessation and preventing relapse is one of the most primary health strategies for preventing and minimizing diseases such as childhood asthma and other debilitating health issues. They have requested our assistance in distributing information on this research study to WIC participants.

ORCAS is now offering an opportunity to pregnant women who smoke to participate in a smoking cessation research study to assist them in their efforts to stop smoking. Participants may receive up to $200.00 in a 10 to 13- month period. A flyer with more information is attached. We encourage local agencies to post the attached flyer or give it to potential study participants.

WIC Positions

The Peer Counselor will work with WIC team members to encourage and support breastfeeding among WIC participants. This position will counsel pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers by telephone and in the WIC office at scheduled intervals; teach prenatal and breastfeeding classes with approved lesson plan provided by the health center. Current or previous enrollment in WIC preferred. Position requires three days of training to become a peer counselor. Send resume to fax (816) 889-1839 or email resume to HR@rodgershealth.org.